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MG MGF Technical - what is this headlamp bit called?

Hi,
Does anyone know what this headlamp bit is called.
It holds the lamp bulb in on the Low beam (milky side) of your headlamp.
Why has it gone black inside and is it supposed to be?
Wouldn't this blackness cause little or no reflection of the beam onto the reflector.
It also covers the lamp bulb to reflect forward and outwards?
Has anyone just replaced this bit to see what happens instead of getting the reflectors re-done?



Sue Wilson

It covers the bulb like this


Sue Wilson

It is a mask to prevent the exit of light directly from the bulb filament into the eyes of oncoming motorists. When it is reflective the light striking it is then supposed to bounce back to the reflector bowl and exit through the lens. The theory is that the more wavelenghts of reflected light in the pattern make for 'depth' of illumination. We all know it doesn't work very well; gets dark and absorbs light turning it into trapped heat, adding to the bulb's heat which in turn does for the reflector finish quality.
Charless

Thanks Charless for the explanation.
So do you really need that 'mask' bit or could you convert to another type of fitment from another type of car, say Mazda 3 low beam fitment that dosn't have the 'mask' bit as an example, to replace that low beam bit in the headlamp to make it slightly better considering yes, the reflectors would need re-doing in long term.
Sorry don't know what its called so I'll call it the 'mask' bit.
Maybe should just call MGF headlamps "Zorro"!
Cheers Sue
Sue Wilson

I know that a pair of Italian (Punto?) complete headlamp units were modified to fit the F by a disgruntled owner in the past.
There is no reason why you couldn't, unless you made a shocking job of it, so bad that the annual MOT (local eqivalent) tester couldn't accept it. Your insurance co would need to be told as well.
But didn't you mention elsewhere that you already have quite a lot of lighting on the front.........?
Charless

Hi Charless,
Yes, I actually read about those Punto lights today. So what ever became of that, did the guy test them out.
I do have the fog and driving lights on front as well but when I dim the lights for oncoming traffic I see nothing but the oncoming vehicles lights. Also being in the country there are no side lines on the road as a guide and no street lights so I'm driving blind on low beam. Its terrible.
Also you can get a fine if you drive with your fog lights on unless there is fog or mist in NSW Aust., so being summer cannot make use of them.
I contacted a few companies today in regards to costs of vacuum metallising the reflectors. Two have returned with a price so far.
Reflectors are off the car and ready to go to the best tender so I won't be cruising for awhile.
Our local equivalent(sent to the mechanic for a pink slip)which is your MOT wouldn't even recognise the difference and insurance company probably couldn't care less here in Australia.
How easy is it to take the bumper off and disassemble the headlamps. I certainly surprise myself sometimes but I wouldn't be able to do it without the help of all the info that MGF owners have written up. Such great guidance.
Sue Wilson

I have seen a good step-by-step on removing the bumper. I think it is on Dieter's site. It looked pretty simple.

Rich McKIe

Hi Sue,

Check this out....

http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/DIY/headlamp_replacement/instructions.htm

You could convert your fog lights to "driving lights". :-)

"driving lamp" is a term deriving from the early days of nighttime driving, when it was relatively rare to encounter an opposing vehicle. Only on those occasions when opposing drivers passed each other would the dipped or "passing" beam be used. The full beam was therefore known as the driving beam, and this terminology is still found in international ECE Regulations, which do not distinguish between a vehicle's primary (mandatory) and auxiliary (optional) upper/driving beam lamps.The "driving beam" term has been supplanted in North American regulations by the functionally descriptive term auxiliary high-beam lamp.They are most notably fitted on rallying cars, and are occasionally fitted to production vehicles derived from or imitating such cars. They are common in countries with large stretches of unlit roads, or in regions such as the Nordic countries where the period of daylight is short during winter. Many countries regulate the installation and use of driving lamps.
Sam Murray

The auto electrician called it a 'bulb shield' and asked how I got it out of the headlight. I said 'undid two screws and out it come'...'oh' he said. Needless to say he didn't have any on hand...
Sue Wilson

This thread was discussed between 07/12/2010 and 19/12/2010

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